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Butane torch question

#1

I am possibly a bit behind the times, since I have not been teaching
for the last seven months. So I am wondering-- have there been any
advances in handheld torches lately? As of my last awareness, the
Blazer and the MicroFlam (which always seems to me as though it
should refer to a minor congestion) were to best ones for jewelry
work. Not too bad, for very small, limited work, and a boon to people
who have to try to work in an apartment kitchen.

If things have changed, I would appreciate being clued in.

Thanks!
Noel

#2

Hello Noel, Check out this video by Melissa Muir

http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1bg

This will catch you up in a few minutes.

Melissa is very nice lady!!!
Take Care Noel
Kenneth

#3

Do you have the correct URL? or is it my computer. But it just turns
up blank when you click on it. No matter what I’ve tried, no video
comes up. Am so ready to get a Butane torch but need some info on
whether or not it will do more than just jump rings. Any further info
you can give me is great.

Thanks.
Kay Vontz

#4 
Am so ready to get a Butane torch but need some info on whether or
not it will do more than just jump rings.

Hi, Kay-- The better butane torches that I am familiar with will do
more than jump rings. You can solder things up to about an inch
square (depending on mass, of course).

The claim for the Jumbo torch is that it will melt 2oz of silver,
which seems like a lot. I find them a handy adjunct and travel
torch, but for my purposes, I feel quite sure they could never sub
for my propane/oxy Meco, or even my acetylene/air Smith. In other
words, it would make serious metalsmithing a good deal harder, even
if the new ones are better. But I aim to find out, and would be
delighted to be proved wrong.

Noel

#5

I soldered a lot of pendants with my butane torch (kitchen style
hand held) and have done a couple of rings with my Jumbo Torch
(butane as well) but that is just about at the limit of its
abilities. When I say pendants, nothing over about 2" x 2", but
definitely more than soldering jump rings. My experience, such that
it is.

#6

Google Melissa Muir and also you will see it on Youtube. She explains
how to operate them.

Blazer, Microflam & Prince all made by the same company are still
the best. Although they are now being made in Taiwan instead of
JAPAN.

Jumbo Torch & STERNO (same comapny) is made in China. These are the
brands that are good or worthwhile.

Kenneth Singh

#7

Kay,

Here is a blog post where I compared the Blazer Torch, A Blazer
Spitfire and a Jumbo Torch. I gave them each identical tasks and then
document their results.

http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1nh

I also created a short YouTube video on using butane torches. If the
link doesn’t work, you can search Melissa Muir in YouTube and it
should pull up my videos.

http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1bg

Let me know if you have any questions.

Melissa Muir
http://www.melissamuir.com

#8

Thanks Noel - good to hear that you can do more than jump rings.
Having reach 80+ I’m not doing that much “torch work” anymore anyway,
but nice to have some means for torching at hand and this portends
to answer that need.

Kay